This invention deals with a machine, device or apparatus for automatically soldering components of elongated jewelry articles such as a split jump ring utilized to connect chain to an ornament, a spring ring or other various components of such jewelry articles. More particularly the invention has applicability to the hard soldering of such jump ring components, that is, wherein a silver base or similar solder requires relatively high fusion temperatures to be utilized so as to form a particularly strong soldered joint. Such soldering is normally accomplished by hand wherein a skilled operator will clasp a jump ring with a pair of pliers or otherwise fix its position and thereafter apply a relatively wide, high temperature flame to the spaced joint to be connected and to which the solder paste has been previously applied. As indicated, such requires skilled operators and even then care must be particularly taken so that adjacent areas of the jewelry articles, such as a chain body, an ornament or spring ring thereof, will not be contacted by the flame for an undue length of time, to cause either annealing or discoloration thereof. In addition to the skill required for such procedures, hand operations have the inherent drawback of being of relatively slow speed and difficult to control.
It is therefore a primary objective of this invention to provide an automatic soldering apparatus for expediting the time rate for soldering together adjacent ends of a jump ring after a link of a jewelry chain or other article has been interengaged therewith.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of this type in which the heat application is precisely controlled to ensure localized heating of the jump rings such that adjacent areas of the jewelry articles are subjected to minimal thermal contact.
A still further object of the present invention is the provision of an automatic soldering apparatus of the type set forth above in which a plurality of jewelry articles may be sequentially soldered while disposed in a common fixture.
These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of an automatic soldering apparatus for soldering together the split ends of jump rings conventionally utilized in the manufacture of jewelry to connect chain to opposite sides of an ornament and to a spring ring, wherein it is desirable to avoid adversely thermally contacting those portions of the jewelry article adjacent the jump ring, comprising a frame including longitudinally directed, laterally spaced guides, a heat resistant fixture disposed between said guides, said fixture adapted for longitudinal movement relative to said frame and having a generally planar upper face in which at least one laterally extending article-receiving groove is disposed for receipt of said jewelry article in a fixed position relative to said fixture, at least one longitudinally oriented groove intersecting said lateral groove, said point of intersection adapted to receive one of said rings to be soldered, heating means mounted on said frame for directing a narrow high temperature flame jet into said longitudinal groove and means for longitudinally moving said fixture relative to said frame whereby said one ring is contacted by said flame jet.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.